Third, the administration set a December deadline shouldengagement fail, then refused to recognize it had failed and didnothing. It is the failure even to try to meet this time limit byimplementing some credible action that has crossed the line, triggeredthe point of no return.

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Fourth, the US government kept pretending that it was somehowconvincing the Chinese and Russians to participate, while there wasnever any chance of this happening. Indeed, this was clear fromstatements repeatedly made by leaders of both countries. Now, this duohas sabotaged the process without any cost inflicted by the US whilemaking clear they will continue doing so.

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Fifth, high-ranking US officials still speak of their continuedeagerness to engage Iran and mention at least six months more ofdiscussion efforts before anything is done about sanctions.

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Sixth, the administration now defines sanctions asoverwhelmingly focused on the Revolutionary Guards, who it cannot hurteconomically, thus signaling to the Iranian regime that it will donothing effective to hurt the country's economy. This means that evenif and when sanctions are increased, they will be toothless.

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All of these steps tell Iran's regime: full speed ahead onbuilding nuclear weapons; repress your opponents brutally and the USwill do nothing.

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After these six failures, the US is now - in effect - resting.And that is the seventh failure. There are no signs that anything ischanging in Washington.

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To believe that the administration has learned anything, wewould have to see the following: An angry US government which feelsthat Iran's regime made it look foolish; a calculating administrationthat believes the American people want it to get tough and gainpolitically from being seen as decisive; a great power strategy thatwould make an example of Iran to show wha

The Region: F for failure

Europeans ready to get tough on Iran, but Obama is showing no leadership.